the unknown guest(陌生客)-第13节
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Deutschland； whose boiler had burst； obliging the steamboat to stand to。
The evidence of a man like Dr。 Maxwell； especially when we have to
do with a so…to…speak personal incident； possesses an importance on which
it is needless to insist。 We have here； therefore； several days beforehand；
the very clear prevision of an event which； moreover； in no way concerns
the percipient： a curious detail； but one which is not uncommon in these
cases。 The mistake in reading Leutschland for Deutschland； which would
have been quite natural in real life； adds a note of probability and
authenticity to the phenomenon。 As for the final act； the foundering of the
vessel in the place of a simple heaving to； we must see in this； as Dr。 J。 W。
Pickering and W。 A。 Sadgrove suggest； 〃the subconscious dramatization of
a subliminal inference of the percipient。〃 Such dramatization； moreover；
are instinctive and almost general in this class of visions。
If this were an isolated case； it would certainly not be right to attach
decisive importance to it； 〃but；〃 Dr。 Maxwell observes； 〃the same sensitive
has given me other curious instances； and these cases； compared with
others which I myself have observed or with those of which I have
received first…hand accounts； render the hypothesis of coincidence very
improbable； though they do not absolutely exclude it。〃＇1＇
＇1＇ Maxwell： Metapsychical Phenomena； p。 202。
4
Another and perhaps more convincing case； more strictly investigated
and established； a case which clearly does not admit of explanation； by the
theory of coincidence； worthy of all respect though this theory be； is that
related by M。 Theodore Flournoy； science professor at the university of
Geneva； in his remarkable work； Esprits et Mediums。 Professor Flournoy
is known to be one of the most learned and most critical exponents of the
new science of metapsychics。 He even carries his fondness for natural
explanations and his repugnance to admit the intervention of superhuman
powers to a point where it is often difficult to follow him。 I will give the
narrative as briefly as possible。 It will be found in full on pp。 348 to 362 of
his masterly book。
In August； 1883； a certain Mme。 Buscarlet； whom he knew personally；
returned to Geneva after spending three years with the Moratief family at
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THE UNKNOWN GUEST
Kazan as governess to two girls。 She continued to correspond with the
family and also with a Mme。 Nitchinof； who kept a school at Kazan to
which Mlles。 Moratief； Mme。 Buscarlet's former pupils； went after her
departure。
On the night of the 9th of December （O。 S。） of the same year； Mme。
Buscarlet had a dream which she described the following morning in a
letter to Mme。 Moratief； dated 10 December。 She wrote； to quote her own
words：
〃You and I were on a country…road when a carriage passed in front of
us and a voice from inside called to us。 When we came up to the carriage；
we saw Mlle。 Olga Popoi lying across it； clothed in white； wearing a
bonnet trimmed with yellow ribbons。 She said to you：
〃'I called you to tell you that Mme。 Nitchinof will leave the school on
the 17th。'
〃The carriage then drove on。〃
A week later and three days before the letter reached Kazan； the event
foreseen in the dream was fulfilled in a tragic fashion。 Mme。 Nitchinof
died on the 16th of an infectious disease； and on the 17th her body was
carried out of the school for fear of infection。
It is well to add that both Mme。 Buscarlet's letter and the replies which
came from Russia were communicated to Professor Flournoy and bear the
postmark dates。
Such premonitory dreams are frequent； but it does not often happen
that circumstances and especially the existence of a document dated
previous to their fulfilment give them such incontestable authenticity。
We may remark in passing the odd character of this premonition；
which however is fully in accordance with the habits of our unknown
guest。 The date is fixed precisely； but only a veiled and mysterious
allusion （the woman lying across the carriage and cloaked in white） is
made to the essential part of the prediction； the illness and death。
Was there a coincidence； a vision of the future pure and simple； or a
vision of the future suggested by telepathic influence？ The theory of
coincidence can be defended； if need be； here as everywhere else； but
would be very extraordinary in this case。 As for telepathic influence； we
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THE UNKNOWN GUEST
should have to suppose that； on the 9th of December； a week before her
death； Mme。 Nitchinof had in her subconsciousness a presentiment of her
end and that she transmitted this presentiment across some thousands of
miles； from Kazan to Geneva； to a person with whom she had never been
intimate。 It is very complex； but possible； for telepathy often has these
disconcerting ways。 If this were so； the case which would be one of latent
illness or even of self…suggestion； and the preexistence of the future；
without being entirely disproved； would be less clearly established。
5
Let us pass to other examples。 I quote from an excellent article of the
importance of precognitions； by Messrs。 Pickering and Sadgrove； which
appeared in the Annales des Sciences Psychiques for 1 February 1908； the
summary of an experiment by Mrs。 A。 W。 Verrall told in full detail in Vol。
XX of the Proceedings。 Mrs。 Verrall is a celebrated 〃automatist〃； and her
〃cross…correspondence〃 occupy a whole volume of the Proceedings。 Her
good faith； her sincerity； her fairness and her scientific precision are above
suspicion； and she is one of the most active and respected members of the
Society for Psychical Research。
On the 11th of May； 1901； at 11。10 p。m。； Mrs。 Verrall wrote as follows：
〃Do not hurry date this hoc est quod voluitandem。 ｛greek here｝ A。 W。
V。 ｛greek here｝。 calx pedibus inhaerens difficultatem superavit。
magnopere adiuvas persectando semper。 Nomen inscribere iam possum
sic； en tibi！〃＇1＇
＇1＇ Xenoglossy is well known not to be unusual in automatic writing；
sometimes even the 'automatist' speaks or writes languages of which he is
completely ignorant。 The Latin and Greek passages are translated as
follows：
〃This is what I have wanted at last。 Justice and joy speak a word to the
wise。 A。W。V。 and perhaps someone else。 Chalk sticking to the feet has got
over the difficulty。 You help greatly by always persevering。 Now I can
write a namethus； here it is！〃
After the writing comes a humorous drawing representing a bird
walking。
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THE UNKNOWN GUEST
That same night； as there were said to be 〃uncanny happenings〃 in
some rooms near the London Law Courts； the watchers arranged to sit
through the night in the empty rooms。 Precautions were taken to prevent
intrusion and powdered chalk was spread on the floor of the two smaller
rooms； 〃to trace anybody or anything that might come or go。〃 Mrs。 Verrall
knew nothing of the matter。 The phenomena began at 12：43 A。M。 and
ended at 2：09 A。M。 The watchers noticed marks on the powdered chalk。
On examination it was seen that the marks were 〃clearly defined bird's
footprints in the middle of the floor； three in the left…hand room and five in
the right…hand room。〃 The marks were identical and exactly 2 3/4 inches in
width； they might be compared to the footprints of a bird about the size of
a turkey。 The footprints were observed at 2：30 A。 M。； the unexplained
phenomena had begun at 12：43 that same morning。 The words about
〃chalk sticking to the feet〃 are a singularly appropriate comment on the
events； but the remarkable point is that Mrs。 Verrall wrote what we have
said ONE HOUR AND THIR
